


Why Do You Care?

by Mer_bear03



Series: High School AU [1]
Category: Crankiplier - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Ethan is anxious, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mark is an Asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-19 03:41:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29993343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mer_bear03/pseuds/Mer_bear03
Summary: Ethan is just trying to get through high school.Mark, the school's friendly neighborhood asshole, is forced to be his tutor.
Relationships: Crankiplier, Mark Fischbach/Ethan Nestor
Series: High School AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2212674
Comments: 13
Kudos: 67





	Why Do You Care?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! It's me again! I've wanted to do an enemies to lovers, and a high school AU for a long time, so I combined them into whatever this is.  
> Once again- if you see any errors feel free to let me know. I had an uploading issue last time so if there's a weird jump cut and you feel like there's a missing part you can make a comment about it. Also I'm shit at proofreading and Grammarly can only do so much.

Ethan shoved his books into his locker, a few almost tumbling out. The hallway was obnoxiously loud, filled with the sounds of dozens of kids. He’d rather just be home. 

Highschool sucked ass, to put it lightly. Ethan was never one for the typical high school activities like; competing for popularity, stupid parties his friends dragged him to, and oh- not to mention his rapidly declining grades. His teachers didn’t understand that he really was trying his best, but his ADHD and dyslexia were really fucking him up. It was almost impossible to focus on anything, let alone understand it. They kept offering to set him up with a tutor, but he was trying to avoid it. That would mean more time stuck at school.  
He used to actually enjoy school, since he was an extrovert after all. However, as he continued on through highschool, his anxiety had gotten progressively worse thanks to a particular group of bullies.

“Hey, Blue.”  
Ethan sighed. Speaking of bullies- the group of douchebags were now behind him.  
He didn’t turn around, hoping they’d leave him alone. He knew it was Thomas talking to him. They hadn’t bothered to remember his name, or maybe they did know and didn’t care, so they called him ‘Blue’. It wasn’t necessarily an insulting name, but they always said it so condescending. 

_Maybe I should dye my hair back to its natural color._

It was a thought he had often, but he also felt like if he went back to brown they’d ‘win’.  
“Awe, c’mon, man. No need to be like that.” A hand grabbed his shoulder, and, suddenly, he was facing them. There were four of them; Thomas (obviously), Weston, Leo, and Mark.  
Ethan almost didn’t realize Mark was there. He stood particularly far back, a disinterested expression on his face. He never really seemed to be interested in taunting Ethan most of the time, though it wasn’t like he was exactly helping him either. He was pushed into the lockers, the metal hinges digging into his back. He held back a pained whimper, but his face still scrunched up. Luckily for him, they weren’t really the violent type of bullies. Locker-shoving was about the extent of that.  
“You got dance class after school again, faggot?”  
And there it was. Thomas really just loved calling him that.  
“I-It’s not dance,” Ethan replied, feeling like he should somehow stick up for himself, but not sure how. He wished he was braver at times like these.  
“Oh-! That’s right, you’re a gymnast. Like that’s any better.” Thomas laughed with Weston and Leo quickly following suit. Mark just sneered at him when Ethan caught his eye. 

_How kind._ Ethan thought sarcastically.

The bell rang above them, hurting his ears momentarily. The hand pushing him into the lockers gave one final shove before being retracted.  
With a “see ya.” they departed, leaving Ethan alone.  
It didn’t last long, though, as his friend Mika sidled up to him.  
“You okay? Looks like you’ve seen a ghost or something.” She questioned, head tilted. Ethan shook his head, regaining his nerves a little. He sent a smile her way, hoping to ease her worries.  
“No, I’m good. Just the Douchebags again.”  
Mike groaned and put her arm around his shoulders.  
“I swear to god I’m gonna kick all their asses next time I see them.”  
“Please don’t,” Ethan begged. He didn’t like getting made fun of, but he also hated conflict. Mika let out a defeated huff.  
“Ethan, why haven’t you told the principal yet?” She asked, tugging him along through the hallways.  
“I don’t know.” He shrugged, “I just- don’t think it’s necessary. Plus it’s not like they’re really doing anything harmful. Y’know- ‘sticks n’ stones’ or whatever.”  
“That saying is fucking stupid.” She immediately shot back at him. And- yeah he supposed she was right, but he didn’t want to admit it. He quickly steered the conversation away from it, starting to talk about the new video game he had started playing. Mika, thankfully, took the bait and listened to him ramble about it the rest of the way to class.

\----

“Ethan, could you stay back for a moment? I need to discuss something with you.” His math teacher, Mrs. Harris, beckoned for him before he could leave. He gave a pleading look to Bob and Wade, who just snickered at him and walked out the door.

 _I need new friends._

He thought bitterly, though he knew they didn’t really leave him. They were most likely waiting right outside. Fuck them for not actually being bad friends.

“We need to talk about your grades in my class.” She said as if he didn’t already know. He sighed.  
“I know, I’m really trying Mrs. Harris. I swear to you.”  
“Yes, I understand, but if you’re truly trying your best and you’re about to fail my class, you need help. I’ve got you a tutor-”  
Damnit.  
“-He’s one of my best students, and I think he can help. He’s not a regular tutor, but he owes me one after disrupting class a few weeks ago.”  
“So- he doesn’t normally tutor people? How do you know he’ll be good at it?” Ethan asked incredulously. If she was going to make him get a tutor, why with that guy?  
“He helps one of his friends out during class, and he’s the only reason she’s passing. She improved so much since they’ve been sitting next to each other. I promise I wouldn’t put you with someone who won’t help.”  
“Okay, fine.” He reluctantly agreed as if he had a choice in the matter.  
“Great. You two can meet after school tomorrow. My class will be empty, so you can use it.” With that, she ushered him out the door.

Sure enough, Bob and Wade were outside in the hallway, chatting while waiting for Ethan.  
“Hey, what’d she want?” Bob questioned, hitting Wade’s arm so he’d stop talking.  
“She made me get a tutor. We have to meet tomorrow after school.” He grumbled and hung his head.  
“Well, that’s not too bad.” Wade shrugged, and Ethan gave him an unamused look.  
“I don’t want to have to stay after school.” He continued to complain, and his two friends laughed at him. He decided to retract his previous thought- his friends _were_ dicks.  
He couldn’t help the small smile that appeared seeing their amusement though.

The next day Ethan trudged reluctantly back to math class after the final bell. He allowed himself to take his time. Making sure not to step on any cracks on the floor and taking the long way from his English class. He peeked through the small window in the door when he arrived, seeing the guy had gotten there before him. Mrs. Harris hadn’t given him a name, and Ethan couldn’t see his face yet. The guy was currently hunched over the desk, writing something down in a notebook filled with papers haphazardly thrown in. Ethan took a deep breath and stepped into the room. He made sure to not be quiet so he didn’t accidentally scare him.  
“Um, hey.” Ethan cleared his throat and said when he hadn’t looked up yet. The guy pulled an earbud, that Ethan hadn’t seen, out of his ear and raised his head.

_No fucking way. This has to be a nightmare._

It was Mark Fischbach. His stomach dropped and his hands started to shake.  
“Oh, it’s you.” Mark wrinkled his nose at him and gestured to the seat next to him, “Let’s get this over with.”  
Ethan contemplated running, but sat down anyway. He didn’t want to be a coward.  
“What do you need help with?” He asked, sounding completely disinterested.  
“I-I’m not really s-sure…” Ethan winced at himself. Why did he have to stutter? “All of it?’  
Mark rolled his eyes and stuck his hand out.  
“Lemme see what you’ve been working on recently.” He fished his math notebook out and handed it to the raven-haired boy next to him. He looked through it skeptically, eyebrows furrowing in disbelief.  
“Wow, you really are shit at this.”  
Ethan let out an indignant sound, but was silent otherwise.  
Mark continued to flip through the pages, “I mean, seriously, are you even trying?”  
Ethan felt tears prick at his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. Out of all the insults, that one always hurt the most. Anytime he tried his best, people doubted it- parents, teachers, other students.  
“Yes, of course, I’m t-trying.” Ethan retorted, “I have ADHD, it’s hard to focus.”  
Mark glanced over at him, an eyebrow raised.  
“I do too, and yeah- it takes a little longer, but I think you’re just awful at math.”  
Ethan deflated and slumped in his chair, letting Mark continue to look through his stuff.

Needless to say, it went terribly. Mark was impatient, and Ethan was even more confused to begin with. Ethan was honestly afraid the guy was going to punch him anytime he got an answer wrong. After just an hour, they both parted ways, both pissed off at each other.

\-----

“Mrs. Harris, can I please have a different tutor.” Ethan begged the next day, dreading having to face Mark again, “we don’t get along, and he’s not helping me.”  
“Just try it for this week, Ethan. If it’s still not working out after that, I promise to get you a new tutor.” She had replied, making Ethan’s heart sink. He debated skipping, but he was almost 100% certain Mark would kill him if he ditched. It wasn’t like Ethan was to only one who had been roped into this.

It started off poorly again. Ethan kept confusing the letters in the math equations.  
“Who the fuck put letters in math.” Ethan grumbled, mainly to himself, “This isn’t English class.”  
“Are you fucking awful at English too?” Mark shot at him, making Ethan huff in defeat, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

They both sat for a moment, Mark had his arms crossed, and his brows were furrowed (as always). Ethan tapped his pencil against his head, trying to read the equation.  
“Wait a second.” Mark was suddenly sitting upright again, leaning towards Ethan. Out of instinct, Ethan leaned away.  
“Do you have dyslexia?” He asked, and Ethan nodded, confused as to how he came to that conclusion, “Oh my god you dumbass, you should’ve told me.”  
Ethan scowled as Mark dug through his own bag, pulling out highlighters.  
“You’re getting the equations messed up because you’re confusing the letters. Also, you’ve been struggling with the word problems, which makes complete sense now.” He highlighted the letters, each with their own corresponding color.  
“Okay, so the f’s are in yellow, the t’s are in green, and the x’s are in blue.” He left the markers on Ethan’s desk, “highlight them whenever you have to write them down. It’ll help you recognize the different letters without actually having to read them. We’ll have to work on the word problems in a different way, but I’m just not sure how to yet.” 

Ethan was completely still. It was a surprisingly good idea.  
He blinked and shook himself out of his trance, starting to try and solve the problem.  
“Holy shit.” Ethan mumbled through his smile after finishing, “You- you actually helped.”  
Mark took the paper and looked over it. He gave a short nod.  
“That’s right- and of course I helped. I _do_ know what I’m doing. Your stupidity was just making me look bad.”  
Ethan fought back an eye roll and snatched his paper back, starting on the rest of the problems.  
He didn’t want to admit it, but Mark had been more helpful by just giving him some highlighters than any of his teachers had been. He’d never tell Mark that, but he could clearly tell it worked since Ethan was at least making progress now.

“My hour’s up.” Mark suddenly stood, slinging his backpack on, “See ya, Nestor.”

_Nestor._

That was the first time he hadn’t called him Blue, or some kind of insult. It wasn’t his name, but his last name was close enough.  
“Uh, what about your h-highlighters?” Ethan gathered them up quickly, holding them up for Mark to see.  
“Keep them for now. You clearly need them more than me.” His tone made it apparent that it was supposed to be an insult, but Ethan smiled. 

That was sort of a nice gesture.

\----

“Blue.” Ethan turned just as someone approached him. He had to back up a few steps as Thomas loomed over him. Leo and Weston were with him, but Mark was nowhere to be seen.  
Dread settled in the pit of his stomach. He had a really bad feeling about this.  
“I heard Mrs. Harris is making Mark tutor you.” He growled and grabbed Ethan’s arm. He tried squirming away, but he had a steel grip on him. It was starting to hurt.  
“We don’t like you hanging around him.”  
“I think he needs to be taught a lesson.” Ethan registered that Leo made the suggestion. Adrenaline started pumping through his veins, and he tried pulling himself away again.  
“Oh, it seems like he doesn’t like that idea.” The boy in front of him sneered, “It’s perfect.”

He was dragged outside to the side of the school. Mud and grass stains had ruined his pants and shirt after being pushed to the ground. His head pounded as it hit the ground hard. He tried to scramble back to his feet, instincts telling him that being down was a terrible idea, but a sharp kick to the stomach stopped him.

_Fuck- oh god, oh no._

“Wait, stop, please.” Ethan started to plead, struggling to breathe.  
“Awe, he’s already begging. That was quick.” Weston commented as he shoved him over onto his back. There was a fist to his face, and blood started running down his cheek from his nose and into his ear and hair. He tried lifting his hands to cover his face, but Leo grabbed his arms, effectively keeping him from protecting himself at all.  
Another punch.  
Another kick.  
He could feel a black eye starting to form and his ribs felt like they had cracked.  
They kept going until they didn’t have to hold his arms out of the way anymore. He could only try to curl up and take it.

“Hey! What the fuck are you doing?!” Someone’s voice cut through the laughter above him.  
“What do you mean? We’re having fun, what does it look like? Plus it’s just Blue, chill out, man.”  
The barrage of attacks stopped, and Ethan still wasn’t sure who they were talking to, but he could kiss them for making it stop.  
“We never agreed to beating anyone up! He’s not even moving.”  
Oh- it was Mark. Maybe he wouldn’t kiss _him_.

He heard Mark walk up to him, and he would’ve flinched when Mark put his hand on his shoulder if he had the energy for it.  
“Fine, if you care so much about him, we’ll leave him with you.” Thomas retorted.  
“I don’t care, I just want to make sure you didn’t kill him.” Mark replied coldly, “You guys could seriously get expelled for this. Just get out of here you dumbasses.”

The rustling of grass signaled they had left, and Mark gently shook his shoulder.  
“Hey, Nestor. You alright?” Mark questioned, voice a little less intimidating than normal. He could only let out a groan in response.  
“I guess that's better than nothing,” Mark muttered, mostly to himself. He heard fingers snapping in front of his face, and he begrudgingly opened his eyes. He hissed when he felt pain in his left eye.  
He definitely had a black eye.

Mark was crouched next to him, a frown settled on his face. Ethan almost scolded him for it in his delirious mindset. His mother did the same whenever Ethan was upset, saying he’d get wrinkles in between his eyebrows.  
“The nurse is just gonna give you ice, so you might as well just go straight home,” Mark said, standing up again.  
Ethan sat up, gasping when a sharp pain shot through his ribcage. He lifted the hem of his shirt to see a huge black and blue bruise. Mark cringed, the first emotion Ethan had seen from him that wasn’t annoyance.  
“That’s definitely broken.” He said bluntly. Ethan forced himself to his feet, head spinning and making him nauseous.  
“T-thanks,” Ethan said, feeling awkward about Mark having to be the one to stop his own friends. 

Mark turned and walked away without another word. Ethan let out a sigh and started after him. He was happy to see Mark was going the opposite way Ethan had to go to get back home. He didn’t live too far away from the school, so he opted to walk there and back. He usually didn’t mind, but right now the world was tilting back and forth and he wasn’t sure how far he was going to get before passing out. 

It was only a couple more steps before Ethan fell as his vision blacked out for a moment. A scraped knee was added to the list of his injuries.  
His forearm was suddenly grabbed, and he was hauled to his feet again. Fuck- he really felt like he might vomit now.  
“Don’t you dare fucking pass out, I don’t know where you live.” The gruff voice told him, pulling Ethan’s arm over their shoulders.  
Damnit, why was Mark back?

Out of all the people, why did Mark have to be the one there? Ethan felt stupid that the guy that was supposed to be making his life a living hell was currently supporting Ethan’s weight.  
“Open your eyes and tell me where to go, or else I’m leaving you here.” Mark threatened, and Ethan complied.

It was fairly silent on the way there. Mark didn’t seem to be one for talking, and Ethan kept his mouth shut, save for a few directions, because he felt like he might throw up if he opened it for too long. When they finally arrived at Ethan’s front door, Mark let go of him as quickly as possible. Ethan stumbled and caught himself on the door, mumbling a few curses. Mark looked back at the street before returning his gaze to Ethan, a debate clearly going on in his mind.  
“Just- try and stay away from them from now on,” Mark said, stepping back- ready to leave. Ethan, however, was pissed off now. Rage bubbled in his chest.  
“You’re telling me to s-stay away from _them_?” He asked incredulously, temporarily forgetting the pain he was in, “what the hell do you think I’ve been trying to do? You guys have been the ones coming up to _me_ and you have the fucking audacity to tell me to stay away? How the fuck am I supposed to stay away if you guys won’t leave me alone? I still don’t know why you’ve all decided to insult me any chance you get. I’ve done nothing to any of you!” Ethan spit, the fog swirling in his brain allowing him to speak his mind without fear of the repercussions. It was false confidence that he quickly took advantage of. It didn’t, however, stop the angry tears from springing into his eyes.  
“Just fucking leave me alone.” He finished, breathing heavily. Mark looked stunned, blinking rapidly as if he couldn’t process what Ethan had just said to him. His silence pissed Ethan off even more. He opened the door and stepped inside, slamming it behind him and locking it. 

\-----

Ethan didn’t go to school for the next two days. He huddled himself under the blankets of his bed, trying to keep himself from messing with the bandages wrapped around his torso and nursing a bag of ice over his eye. When his mother had seen him, they had immediately gone to the doctor. They had identified that he had a fractured rib and a mild concussion. 

On the third day, his parents forced him out the door.  
“The doctors said you were fine to go to school today, and you really shouldn’t miss any more days than you have to, especially with your current grades.” His mom had said, leaving no room for argument. His spirits lifted a little when he saw Mika, Bob, and Wade outside the school.  
“You’re alive!” Mika yelled once he shuffled into the little circle they had formed. Ethan winced and covered his ears, “Oh- fuck sorry.”  
Wade gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder, and Bob waved.  
“Yep, I’m alive.” He shrugged, removing his hands with a smile.  
“So, what happened? Your answers were very vague.” Bob questioned.  
“Yeah, what’s the point of a group chat if you don’t answer our texts?” Wade cut in.  
“It was just Thomas, Leo, and Weston.” He admitted, “They were pissed off because they found out Mark was tutoring me.”  
“Mark’s tutoring you?” They all burst out at pretty much the same time. He had forgotten he hadn't told them _that_ detail yet.  
“It wasn’t my idea,” he tried to calm them down, “Mrs. Harris is forcing him- and me. I think I’ll be able to try and get a different one after the week is up.”  
They all seemed to relax a little at that.  
“I still don’t like you being alone in a room with him. I don’t trust that he won’t hurt you or something.” Mika’s fists were clenched like she was ready to swing if Mark popped up.  
“I don’t think he’ll do anything,” Ethan shook his head, “He was the one who stopped his friends from beating me up anymore.”  
There was a stunned silence.  
“He- what?” Wade finally spoke up.  
“Yeah, he wasn’t there when it started, but when he showed up, he made them stop… It was weird.”  
His friends didn’t have any more time to ask questions because the bell rang. They clearly wanted to, but he quickly slipped into the crowd of students. His head hurt, and he didn’t feel like talking anymore. He was confused by the whole situation too, so it wasn’t like he was going to help them understand. 

He fully intended to skip tutoring that day, not wanting to face Mark after what he had said. God, he really wished he hadn’t let all that slip. As he left English class, he turned left, ready to leave. He practically ran into someone, effectively stopping him in his tracks.  
“Where are you going?” It was Mark.

_Of fucking course it is._

“I’m… going home?” Ethan said though it came out more like a question. The other boy stood there with his arms crossed and an unamused expression on his face.  
“We have tutoring today, and you have a math test tomorrow.” He stated. He was right about the test. Mrs. Harris had apparently announced it on Tuesday, which happened to be the first day he had skipped school.  
“Wait- how’d you know that?” Ethan furrowed his eyebrows.  
“Mrs. Harris told me. Now let’s go.” He walked past Ethan in the opposite direction. He was fully aware he could just ignore him and still leave. Mark hadn’t even bothered to turn around as he continued down the hall, going against the flow of other students.

 _Damnit_.

Ethan groaned and turned on his heels, following Mark.

He was already in his usual seat and pulling out math sheets by the time Ethan had arrived.  
“I got a practice test, so we’re going to work on that.” He slid the test onto Ethan’s desk before he sat down, looking over the sheet.  
“God- I’m gonna fail.” He grumbled, running his hands through his hair. It was a nervous habit that caused his hair to stick up messily.  
“Just calm down, we’ve gone over most of this already. Your issue was more of a dyslexic one than actual comprehension. Start with highlighting the letters again.” Ethan looked over at Mark skeptically. He was being weirdly reassuring.  
“Quit giving me that look and get started. I don’t have all day, you know.” He scowled at him and- yep that was more like normal Mark.

It took Ethan 45 minutes to do the practice test, and by the end, Mark had graded it, and he had gotten a 73.  
“Not great, but better than usual.” Mark had shrugged while giving Ethan the paper back, “You got numbers 20 through 25 wrong because she taught your class that yesterday. We’ll start working on those first.”  
To Ethan’s astonishment, the rest of his tutoring session went smoothly. Mark was being less of an asshole, and Ethan was getting things easier, and quicker. It was almost six by the time they packed up to leave.  
“Did you break a rib?” Mark had asked out of the blue as he stuffed his binder back into his backpack.  
“Uhm… yeah, but the d-doctor said it wasn’t too bad. Doesn’t really hurt anymore cause I’m on pain meds.”  
Mark nodded in response and swung his bag onto his shoulders.  
“See ya.” He mumbled and left the classroom.

Ethan shook his head lightly. Mark was acting odd, and it was confusing him. He thought he’d be even more of a jerk now, but it seemed like the opposite had happened. He couldn’t say he was being nice per se, but he wasn’t being mean either.

He hauled his backpack on and trudged out of the room, deciding he’d stop thinking about it for now.

\----

The next Monday, Ethan made sure to be in the back of the line to leave his math class. Everyone was getting their tests back before leaving, and Ethan wanted to ask Mrs. Harris to switch his tutor without others listening in. When he finally got to her desk, he opened his mouth, fully intending to ask her, but then he saw his score.  
“Congratulations, Ethan. You did incredibly. It seems like Mark is helping.” She smiled with an I-told-you-so look. He had gotten a 92.  
“H-how?” He said instead, his previous words dying on his tongue. His teacher only laughed a little in response. He left the class on autopilot, still staring down at his paper.  
“Jeez, is he alright?” Wade laughed once he got into the hallway. Bob looked over Ethan’s shoulder and let out a surprised sound.  
“Holy shit, he didn’t fail.” Ethan swatted Bob away with an exaggerated glare.  
“You’re an asshole.”  
“I’m just saying. I’ve never seen you do so well on a math test.” He held up his hands in surrender and Wade nodded along, agreeing with him.  
“Okay, fine.” Ethan sighed, rolling his eyes with a small smile.  
“Does this mean your mom will let you come over now?” Wade inquired, a hopeful grin plastered to his face.  
“Fuck, I hope so.”  
His mom had banned him from going to his friend's house because of his terrible grades. She said he needed to focus more on school and not on playing video games with others.

They started walking down the hall to their next class. They didn’t have the same fourth period, but it was in the same hall, so they got to walk together. At the sight of a raven-haired boy, Ethan called out without really thinking.  
“Hey, Mark!”  
The boy in question froze and looked around before their gazes connected. Bob and Wade stood ridged beside him. Ethan held up his test with a little smile, he wanted to see if Mark was still going to be actingdifferent.  
“I didn’t fail.” He said and the other boy hesitated before walking over to them.  
“What’d you get?” He asked, giving Bob and Wade a cautious look. They looked ready to jump him if he made a single wrong move.  
“92,” Ethan replied, wishing his two friends would relax a little. He understood why they wouldn’t, though.  
A surprised look washed over Mark’s face and he held the edge of the paper, bending it a little so he could see.  
“Oh, you did.” He nodded a neutral expression returning to his face, “nice.”  
“Thanks, you h-helped a lot.” Ethan suddenly wanted Mark to know how grateful he was. He knew he didn’t have to, especially considering how terribly Mark had treated him. Ethan always tried to see the best in people, though, and Mark seemed to be changing for the better- albeit slowly.  
“I just gave you some highlighters. It’s not a big deal.” Mark shrugged and looked away, seeming uncomfortable now, “I gotta get to class.”  
With that Mark disappeared into the swarm of kids.  
“He’s acting weird… I don’t like it.” Bob muttered, putting a hand on Ethan’s shoulder protectively.  
“I know, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. He’s not being an asshole anymore at least.” Ethan tried to ease his worries, sending him a smile.  
“Yeah, probably cause he finally realized being mean to you is like kicking a puppy,” Wade commented with a laugh.  
“That’s true.” Bob smiled and dropped his hand, “Okay, let’s go before we’re late.”

\----

He was approached at his locker again on Wednesday. It was easy to guess who it was by now.  
“I don’t know what the hell you did to Mark, but we don’t like it.” Thomas practically growled at him. Ethan raised his eyebrows, puzzled.  
“I-I didn’t do anything.” He held his hands up, bracing himself for whatever they were going to do.  
“We’ve barely seen him since last Monday.” He shoved Ethan back and he hit the cold metal behind him. He took a sharp breath in, his broken rib starting to hurt again.

_Wait… Since Monday?_

Ethan had seen him for tutoring and even in the halls heading to class. Was he avoiding them?  
“I don’t know why you haven’t seen him. I haven’t done anything.” Ethan tried slinking away, but they quickly boxed him in. Why the hell wasn’t anyone else in the hall stopping them? Did no one really care?  
Leo put his hand right on Ethan’s broken rib and pushed. He gasped, pain blinding him for a moment. Wicked laughs sounded around him. His hands scrambled to find purchase on Leo’s wrist, trying to pull him away. He thought he had succeeded when his hand fell away, but then he was thrown to the ground.  
Ethan definitely hadn’t done that.

Standing above Leo was Mark and- Mika was in front of Ethan now? Why were they together?  
“C’mon, let’s go,” She tugged at his arm, forcing him to follow her. He tried pulling away.  
“Wait, but Mark-”  
“He’ll be fine.” She replied sternly, walking faster now.  
“How.. why-? I’m confused.” He said, not really sure what to make of the situation. Mika let out an amused huff.  
“Me too. I saw them cornering you and I caught Mark’s eye. He looked pissed off. I thought he was going to join them, but then he told me to get you and go to class.” She shrugged, “So, that’s what I’m doing.”  
“But he could get expelled,” Ethan argued, starting to put up a fight again.  
“Ethan, why do you care? He’s been an absolute asshole to you. Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll all get expelled.” She let out a bitter laugh and continued pulling Ethan along. 

His brain had stalled. Why did he care if Mark got expelled? He hadn’t been nice since they met and even though he hadn’t been an absolute jerk recently, he still wasn’t actively trying to be kind.  
“I-I don’t care… I just don’t like violence.” He found himself saying. He figured that must be why he was worried for the other boy.

After school, Ethan waited in the empty math room. His knee bounced anxiously as he waited for Mark to show up. He was usually the first one there, so Ethan was on edge. After 30 minutes, Ethan couldn’t wait any longer. He grabbed his things and hurried down the hall, towards the nurse. If something bad had happened, Mrs. Anderson would be less opposed to telling him than the other teachers or principal.  
“Oh, Ethan!”  
Ethan burst through the doors, eliciting a surprised squeak from the nurse.  
“Sorry, sorry.” He halted, sheepishly rubbing the side of his arm, “I just wanted to know if you had to- like fix anyone up today. I heard about a fight-”  
“Are you asking about someone in particular?” She questioned, a gentle smile on her face.  
“I guess so… did Mark have to come in here?”  
Her face lit up in recognition.  
“Oh! I didn’t realize you two were friends, he’s actually still here.”  
“We’re not fr-” Ethan tried to explain, but Mrs. Anderson was already guiding him further into the nurse's office. She led him right up to where Mark was sitting in a worn-out blue chair. There was a brace around his ankle and his lip was busted where dried blood had closed the wound.

Mrs. Anderson shuffled away and it was just the two of them.  
“What’re you doing here?” Mark asked immediately, almost threateningly. Fuck- Ethan felt super awkward for coming now.  
“I just-” He took a breath, “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”  
Mark’s eyebrows pinched together.  
“Why do you care?”  
The same question Mika asked him.  
“I dunno, I felt b-bad for just leaving you against three of them. I feel like I owe you one after you’ve saved my ass twice now. Plus you’re helping me with math and-”  
“Shut up. You don’t owe me anything, so just...” Mark sighed and looked away from Ethan, “...you can leave now.”  
“I still feel like I should help in some way. Why are you still here anyway? You should probably go home. Seriously, do you need a ride home or something? I don’t think my mom would mind d-”  
“I said you don’t owe me anything.” Mark cut him off for the second time, “I’ve been an asshole to you, so you don’t need to repay me for being a semi-decent human being for once. So, as I said before- you can leave now. I don’t want you here because you feel like you have to.”

But Ethan didn’t want to leave yet. Mark was slumped in the chair, looking crushed. For once the intimidating aura around him was gone and Ethan could practically feel the loneliness radiating off him. Despite Mark’s friends being awful, he had probably just lost all three of them at once- and that had to have hurt.

“You skipped tutoring.” Ethan said, sitting on the floor and unzipping his bag, “and even though I’m getting better, my grades aren’t out of the woods yet.”  
“You want to do this now? In the nurse's office?” He asked, a disbelieving look on his face.  
“Yep, unless you’re leaving soon. In which case I’m not gonna force you to stay.” Ethan paused and looked up at him. The other boy seemed to think about it for a moment, rubbing a tired hand down his face.  
“Okay fine, I’m not leaving for a while anyway,” Mark grumbled a little, but Ethan saw his eyes brighten ever so slightly.

There was a brief silence as Ethan pulled out and opened his math binder.  
“Did you get in trouble?” Ethan asked, unable to contain his curiosity anymore. Mark shrugged.  
“Yeah, but it’s not too bad. I just have Saturday detention and I have to help clean up the gym afterward. They knew I didn’t start it, so I was let off the hook easier. The others are suspended for a few days.”  
Ethan winced.  
“Fuck. They’re gonna be pissed when they get back.”  
Mark let out a humorless laugh.  
“Yeah, but when aren’t they?”  
Ethan gave a half-hearted smile, though it would’ve been funnier if their anger hadn’t been directed at Ethan over the past two school years.  
“Oh, damnit. Sorry.” Mark winced, “that was insensitive.”  
“It’s fine.” Ethan waved it off, but Mark didn’t seem to believe him. It made sense though because Ethan was definitely lying.  
“No, seriously. I’m sorry. I really don’t know why I’ve treated you like that for so long. You don’t deserve it.”  
Ethan gave Mark a genuine smile. The boy seemed to relax a little after seeing his reaction.  
“I accept your apology.”

\----

“Guys you really don’t have to follow me around. I’ll be fine.” Ethan pleaded with Mika and Mark who had been trailing after him all day, “Your class isn’t even this way.”  
“Yes, but those assholes are back in school today so we’re not letting you out of our sight.” Mika countered. Ethan looked over to his other side to see Mark nodding along in agreement. It had been a few weeks and the two had become tentative friends over their shared goal of keeping Ethan safe. Mika still didn’t trust him much, but she seemed to have pushed that aside for the moment.  
“I’m not helpless you know.” He grumbled, feeling like a child.  
“We know, but you’re at a disadvantage. Three verses one isn’t fair.” Mark tried reasoning.  
“You did it!” Ethan whipped his head back to him with a glare.  
“I know how to fight. You don’t.” There was a smug grin on his face that Ethan despised.  
“If you’re so worried, then teach me how to.”  
“Yeah, no. Your rib is still broken and my ankle is still sprained, now isn’t the best time for that.”  
“I agree, let’s leave the fighting to a minimum, whether it’s fake or not.” Mika cut in, leveling Ethan with a look.

Once they had dropped Ethan off at his class they both hurried away. Their effort to get to class on time was in vain, however, because Ethan heard the bell go off about five seconds later. He chuckled to himself a little and settled into his own seat as his English teacher started the class.  
He was able to head to the math room after class by himself. Mrs. Harris gave him a smile and wave as she passed by him, leaving her class.  
“Hey,” Mark greeted him and Ethan smiled at him, sitting in his usual seat.  
“I’m guessing you were late to your last class?” Ethan smirked and Mark rolled his eyes.  
“What do you think?”  
Ethan just laughed at that, getting out his things.  
“Plus, I’m trying to keep you from getting beat up again, why are you making fun of me?” He sent a glare, with no real heat behind it.  
Ethan just shrugged, looking back at Mark.  
“I dunno. It’s a little funny that you’ve done a complete 180. You used to hate me, now you’re late to class because of me.”  
Mark looked away, down at his hands that were folded on the desk. Ethan suddenly felt bad about bringing it up. Mark clearly seemed upset by how he had acted in the past.  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean-”  
“Ethan, please stop apologizing.” Mark gave him a desperate look, “you keep acting like you have to apologize to me and say that I shouldn’t feel bad for what I’ve done. I just don’t understand… Why aren’t you mad? You have every right to be. Why don’t _you_ hate _me_?”  
Ethan sighed, looking away as well. He wasn’t sure why he wasn’t more pissed at Mark. Sure, he used to feel angry and sometimes scared when he saw him, but things had changed. He felt like he had already said what he needed to say when Mark had helped him to his house after getting beaten up.  
“I don’t know. All I know is that I’m not mad at you, at least not anymore. Trust me, I used to, but feeling like that now would be pointless. You’re trying to be a better person, and you’re doing a great job at it.”  
Before he could tell himself not to, Ethan placed his hand on Mark’s shoulder. The other boy flinched at the contact but made no move to get Ethan’s hand off him afterward.  
“Hell, even Mika tolerates you now, and I never thought that would happen.”  
Mark’s downcast expression washed away for a moment as he chuckled.  
“Why the fuck are you comforting me right now? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?” Mark murmured after a moment, finally looking at him again. Ethan laughed a little and shrugged.  
“I’m not really sure, but you looked really upset. I want you to believe that I’m not mad anymore. Trusting you is a different issue, but we’ll work on that.”  
Mark smiled and nodded, surprising Ethan by placing his hand on Ethan’s that was still on his shoulder. He dropped it quickly after, however, as if his actions were catching up to his brain. Something washed over his face, and he clenched his jaw. He shrugged his shoulder and Ethan let his hand fall.  
“Okay,” he cleared his throat and handed Ethan some papers, “less chit chat and more studying.”  
Ethan groaned a little as he took them.  
Whatever had suddenly bothered Mark was a topic for later. For now, Ethan wanted their first few experiences as “friends” to be less apologetic and full of uncertainty. 

\----

“You’re in the marching band?!” Ethan practically shouted in surprise and Mark quickly shushed him.  
“Jesus, dude, no need to let the whole world know… and yeah, I am. Why did that deserve that reaction?”  
“You just don’t seem to be the type to be in band.” Ethan smiled, shutting his locker with a satisfying click.  
“I also do wrestling.”  
“Okay, now that seems more like you.”  
Mark huffed out a laugh and they began walking out of the school. The day was over and they both decided to take a break from tutoring. They’d been at it for a month straight by that point, so Ethan was glad to have an afternoon off.  
“Why, because it’s just a bunch of guys fighting?”  
“Exactly,” Ethan confirmed.  
“I was honestly going to quit after my sophomore year, but my mom loves watching the matches so I didn’t.”  
Their conversation died as they threaded their way through the crowd. It was always hard to hear each other over the sounds of other kids talking. Ethan occasionally grabbed onto the back of Mark’s backpack just so he didn’t get swept away. He remembered the first time he had done that, Mark had swatted him away, but he either didn’t care now or gave up trying to get Ethan to stop.

When they finally made it out of the building, Ethan began laughing.  
“What?” Mark questioned with a bewildered look at the other boy’s sudden outburst.  
“Sorry, I’m just still getting over the fact that you’re in band.” Ethan said in between breaths.  
“You’re a terrible friend.” Mark shook his head, “I’m leaving you here.”  
Mark turned on his heels and started walking down the sidewalk.  
“Wait, no!” Ethan giggled and jogged after him, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I swear I won’t joke about it anymore. I mean- I’m in theater. You can make fun of me for that if you want.”  
Ethan tugged on his arm when Mark didn’t stop. He would’ve been a little worried he had actually offended him if he didn’t see the corner of his mouth twitch, fighting off a smile.  
“Theater?” He questioned, a smirk finally appearing on his face. Ethan suddenly regretted telling him that.  
“I guess that means I’m going to the school’s plays from now on.”  
Fighting back a glare, Ethan gave Mark a smirk of his own.  
“I’m going to all the wrestling matches then. Oh! And the football games so I can see you play whatever the hell your instrument is.”  
“Fuck you for not participating in more school activities than me. You have more material to make fun of me with.” Mark bumped Ethan with his shoulder as they walked. Ethan stumbled a bit, only staying upright when Mark gently grabbed his hand. Mark gave him an apologetic smile.  
“For once it pays off to be lazy.” Ethan bounced on his feet, feeling oddly giddy. It was moments like these where he realized that he and Mark were actually becoming friends. It made something warm curl up in his chest. Ethan then just noticed Mark still hadn’t let go of his hand, and oddly enough his was still holding on as well. They both seemed to notice it at the same time because they quickly ripped their hands away.

“So, still no car?” Mark asked, kicking a pebble off the sidewalk, and refusing to look at Ethan.  
“Unfortunately no. My parents changed their mind so I gotta pay for at least half of it. Which is reasonable, but I have to save up now.”  
Ethan was supposed to get a car on his 16th birthday, but now at 17 he still didn’t have one. He couldn’t complain though, he knew his parents worked hard to support him, but they were both artists so it was difficult. He was going to have to get a part-time job very soon.  
“What about you? Are your parents making you pay for your own?” Ethan questioned, and Mark stiffened a little before visibly forcing himself to relax.  
“Umm, yeah… My mom told me the only way I’m getting one is if I buy it.”  
Whatever had made Mark tense he seemed to brush it aside, placing a small smile on his face.  
“I work at a construction company on the weekends though, so I’m pretty close to saving up what I need for one.”  
“Once you do, you are my designated chauffeur.”  
“Woah, woah, woah!” Mark laughed, “I never agreed to drive your free-loading ass around.”  
“What if I paid you.” Ethan wiggled his eyebrows.  
“Deal.” Mark stuck out his and they shook as if they had just made a business deal.  
“That really didn’t take much convincing.”  
“Listen, man, I will do pretty much anything for money.”  
Ethan raised his eyebrows and gave him a look.  
“ _Anything?_ ”  
“Oh fuck off.” Mark pushed him away with a fond smile as Ethan cracked himself up, “No one makes you laugh like yourself, Ethan.”  
“Oh goodness!” Ethan finally said when he could catch his breath, “You’re right, I’m hilarious.”  
“I didn’t say that, I said that _you_ think you’re funny.”  
“Yeah, whatever. I’ve seen you laugh at my jokes.” Ethan waved him off, stopping whatever retort Mark was going to come up with.

Ethan halted when they got to one of the crosswalks.  
“Wait a minute. Weren’t you supposed to turn right down that road a while back to get to your house?”  
Mark shuffled his feet a little, a sheepish smile on his face.  
“Well… yeah, but I didn’t want to have to stop and- you know…”  
“Aww, Mark wanted to keep talking to me?” Ethan asked in a childish voice.  
“I definitely don’t want to now.” Mark rolled his eyes at the voice and the way Ethan had clasped his hands together. Ethan wondered if Mark's eyes would eventually roll out of his head after doing it so many times.  
“Look, just- gimme your phone.” Mark held out his hand and Ethan, oddly with no questions, gave it to him with a quizzical look. Mark typed something in and handed it back.  
Oh- it was Mark’s number.  
“I-” Ethan started, but when he looked back up Mark was halfway down the block.  
“Bye!” He called over his shoulder, glancing back at Ethan. The other boy waved and smiled, tucking his phone back into his pocket.

\----

When Mark finally did get a car, he never brought up Ethan paying him. In fact, Ethan had tried mentioning it, but he was immediately shot down. His friends were still a little wary of Mark, but they were warming up to him. Ethan could tell Mark still wasn’t sure how to approach or talk to them though. He had tried desperately to get him to relax around them, but he had the feeling Mark still felt like an outsider in their friend group. It was also a surprise to Ethan to find out that the other boy was actually pretty shy. If someone came up to talk to Ethan, Mark would practically disappear behind him. He found it endearing in a way, not that he would ever tell him that. He had teased him about it one day, saying he felt “like a mom with her toddler hiding behind her leg”. Mark had just grumbled something Ethan didn’t quite catch. He still didn’t drop the ‘don’t talk to me’ look while they were in school, but after he would immediately brighten up. 

Ethan was currently wondering where Mark was as he was being cornered in an empty classroom.

The Douchebags were back at it and had dragged him out of the hallway as he was switching classes. He put a hand on his chest where his rib had previously been broken unconsciously. It had just healed too.  
“Where’s your little guard dog now?” One of them sneered. It was hard to tell who was who in the dark classroom, especially since they all sounded the same to Ethan. He was doing his best not to look frightened, but he knew he probably looked panicky.  
“I can’t believe you let him trick you into thinking he actually wants to be your friend.”

_Trick me?_

“He isn’t tricking me.” Ethan glared at them, becoming more defensive as the space between him and the corner of the class diminished. Fuck- he was really scared.  
They started to laugh mockingly.  
“You really think he could go from hating you to wanting to be your friend? He only hangs around you because we ditched him. He doesn’t care about you, idiot. You were his _last_ resort. As soon as he finds someone else, he’s going to leave you in the dust.”  
“No, he’s not.” Ethan defended, though despite his insistence a small seed of doubt was planted in the back of his mind. Why did Mark hate him before? And how come he suddenly didn’t?

Just as Ethan’s back hit the corner, a fist was raised and swung. Pain surged through his nose, and blood started dripping down and onto the floor. Flashbacks to the first time this happened flashed in his mind and his chest felt tight. Luckily for him, a student came into the room, supposedly looking for class supplies. The group in front of him scurried away, leaving the student to help Ethan out of the class.

That’s how Ethan found himself in the nurse's office, swinging his feet back and forth on the table. The door in front of him burst open, startling the boy, before seeing Mark’s worried face.  
“Oh, hey,” Ethan gave a sheepish smile, “how’d you know I was here?”  
Mark didn’t answer at first, opting to walk up close and give Ethan a frantic once over. Once the other boy seemed sure Ethan wasn’t seriously hurt, he met his gaze. After seeing the look on Mark’s face he almost laughed.

_How could I almost let those assholes make me believe he doesn’t care?_

“Mrs. Anderson saw me in the hall. I guess she remembered you came in last time I was here, so she called me over and said that you were here.” He let out a breath, looking frazzled, “Are you okay?”  
“Yeah, don’t worry about me,” Ethan smiled, despite the pain that shot through his nose, “just a fractured nose. Mrs. Anderson says I don’t need to go to the doctor or anything, just ice it.” Ethan brushed his fingers against the butterfly bandage on the bridge of his nose. Mark pulled his hand away quickly.  
“Jesus, dude, don’t touch it.” He gave Ethan’s wrist a gentle squeeze before letting go, “do you have to stay longer, or are you ready to go home?”  
“I’m all good to go.” Ethan grinned and grabbed his backpack, “can we go to the park first though? I don’t want to have to explain this to my parents yet.”  
Mark gave a simple nod and Ethan followed him out. 

The halls were empty except for a few stray kids scattered around. Everyone else was either outside waiting for busses or headed to the parking lot to drive home. They went almost to the edge of the lot. Mark always parked far away, staying he’d rather walk than have cars parked so close that they dented his car by opening their doors. Ethan didn’t really mind, especially since he used to walk all the way home. 

The ride there was fairly quiet, only broken when Mark kept telling him to stop messing with the bandage on his nose. The other boy seemed more upset about what happened than Ethan did. 

After about a ten-minute drive, they arrived at the park. Even though Ethan suggested going to the park, they both knew that he really wanted to go into the woods that was next to it. They trailed through the foliage and sat beneath an old knotted tree. Soft orange rays of sunlight filtered through the canopy above them and the faint sound of small critters brought a faint smile to Ethan’s face.

“I’m okay, Mark,” Ethan said after they were both quiet for a while. He would have listened to the leaves rustling above them all day, but he could feel the guilt surrounding the boy next to him.  
“Your nose is broken, Ethan. You’re not okay.” He replied gruffly, picking up an acorn next to him and throwing it half-heartedly. A squirrel nearby practically jumped up the nearest tree.  
“It wasn’t your fault.”  
“Isn’t it? I never tried to stop them before. Maybe if I had, then it wouldn’t have escalated into this.”  
“We both know that’s not true. You can’t control them.” Ethan replied, letting his head loll to the side, looking at Mark. His jaw was clenched and his expression was hardened. 

Ethan picked up a dead leaf on the ground, picking at it while waiting for Mark to speak again. It wasn’t long before Mark spit out the angry words.  
“I’m gonna kill those assholes.”  
“No, you’re not. If you fight fire with fire the whole world would burn.”  
Mark sighed and hung his head.  
“Where’d you hear that?”  
“History class today.” Ethan smiled, bumping their shoulders together. He paused for a moment though, a nagging question in the back of his head. Words from earlier that day were suddenly at the forefront of his mind.  
“I know you might not like this question, but I want you to answer honestly.” He said, causing Mark to finally look at him. He looked a little worried, but Ethan needed an answer.  
“Why did you used to hate me?”  
Mark became rigid, his back now pressing against the rough bark of the tree.  
“I… I never hated you.”  
Ethan gave him a disbelieving look and Mark winced.  
“I’m not trying to say it didn’t seem like it- I know I was a total asshole. It just wasn’t cause I hated you. I-” He took a breath, “… I was jealous.”  
“Jealous?” Ethan asked incredulously.  
“Yeah. You have amazing friends, you dyed your hair just for fun, you have two parents who care about you, and you came out without a care in the world. You’re so confident in yourself and I wanted to take that away because I wanted it. I’m so stupid.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh and Ethan sat, stunned. The last thing he thought Mark would be was jealous of _him_.  
“You think I’m confident?” He said with a laugh after snapping out of his stupor.  
Mark raised his eyebrows at him.  
“I’m not confident. I just pretend I am.” Ethan shrugged, a weak smile on his face. “After you guys had made fun of me for dying my hair, I almost dyed it back. I had even bought some crappy box dye from the store on my way home. I’m more stubborn than anything. I thought that if I backed out, you guys would win- so I kept it blue. As for coming out… I was fucking terrified. I actually had a panic attack that same day afterward.”  
Ethan went quiet, remembering that day. It hadn’t really been his idea, he just accidentally slipped up and suddenly everyone knew. He had plastered on a fake smile and then hurried off to the bathrooms to have a full blown panic attack.

He startled a little when he felt Mark’s arm wrap around his shoulders.  
“I’m sorry,” Mark said, as quiet as the soft rustling of the trees around them.  
“It’s alright.” Ethan leaned into his side, happily accepting the side hug. Mark was warm, something that Ethan was chasing after in the crisp weather.  
“I wish I had a time machine, so I could go back and fix everything.”  
“Mistakes are what make us human, time machines would ruin that,” Ethan replied easily, turning his head to look at Mark with a gentle smile. He looked a little worn out, but the sharp lines of his face had softened and for once he didn’t look like the weight of his guilt was sitting heavy on his shoulders. He seemed to finally be forgiving himself, just as Ethan had hoped.  
“You’re too kind, Ethan.” Mark whispered into the space between them, “the world isn’t good to people like you.”  
“Well, it’s a good thing I have you to beat up the world for me.” Ethan grinned and Mark rolled his eyes. He didn’t miss, however, the smile that crept onto his face. If Ethan didn’t know any better, he would say it looked adoring.  
“Well, clearly I need to do a better job.” He replied and, even though he had been scolding Ethan about it, he gently brushed his fingers over the bandage on his nose. He was admittedly, much more gentle about it than Ethan had been, though.  
Ethan’s face flushed at their proximity and swatted his hand away.  
“Weren’t you telling me not to touch it earlier?” He questioned, trying to draw Mark’s rapt attention away from his- now pink- face.  
“Oh, shit- uh… yeah, sorry about that.” Mark pulled away and, much to Ethan’s disappointment, dropped his arm from his shoulders. He cleared his throat and stood, holding out his hand to help Ethan up.  
“I should probably get you home. The sun is going to go down soon and I think your parents are starting to dislike me for not bringing you back soon enough.”  
Ethan laughed and gratefully took his outstretched hand. He was hauled up fairly easily considering Mark was unfairly in shape. They started walking back, neither of them daring to mention that their hands were still intertwined.

\----

“You guys look like a couple.” Mika teased on their way into the empty theater room.  
“What? Me and who?” Ethan questioned, tossing his backpack carelessly onto the floor near the wall.  
“Damnit, of course you’re oblivious, you always are,” She sighed fondly and sat in a metal foldable chair, “you and Mark, dumbass.”  
Ethan scrunched up his nose.  
“Well, we’re not. Mark is straight and I’m not into him.”  
Mika groaned as Ethan settled into his own chair next to her.  
“Do you know for sure that he’s straight? Like has he told you ‘I’m straight.’”  
“No, but he’s never made any hint that he isn’t. I feel like he would’ve told me by now too.”  
“I dunno, man. I don’t think he is.”  
“ _If_ he isn’t straight, I’m not gonna force him to tell me. I don’t even like talking about this right now.” Ethan crossed his arms over his chest, giving Mika a look.  
“Alright, alright, you’re right. We’ll stop talking about it...but you have to admit you two would be cute together.” She was back to teasing.  
“Mika, please. I thought you still didn’t trust him.” Ethan groaned, letting his head fall back so he was looking at the grey ceiling.  
“Eh…I’m still a little wary, but you trust him and I trust you… and don’t complain- you’re literally waiting after school for him to be done with band right now. You could easily walk home. You can’t tell me that’s not couples shit.”  
“No, it’s _friend_ shit. You’ve waited for me because of theater.”  
“Yeah, like once or twice at most. You do this every time he has an afterschool activity.”  
And- yeah, he couldn’t argue with that. But it wasn’t because he liked Mark like that. He just wanted to show Mark what having an actual friend was like considering his past “friends” didn’t really count.  
He definitely did _not_ have a crush on him, not even a little one….  
After opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water, he couldn’t come up with a retort. So, he opted for a good old fashioned “shut up” instead, making Mika laugh.

Eventually their playful bickering died down and they started on homework. Mika couldn’t stay more than 30 minutes though, and she left sooner than Ethan would’ve liked. Once she did leave, his thoughts wandered away from school work and over to that jerk band kid he was waiting for. That same kid that he _didn’t_ have a crush on. The kid that made his stomach flutter whenever he could get him to crack a smile at school, or when their hands just happened to be intertwined. The one who used to be an absolute asshole, but now was a bit of a softie.

“Oh my god, I have a crush on Mark.” Ethan whispered out loud to himself. The words sounded too loud in the empty room and he wanted to run away from them. He groaned, shoving his face into his hands. Of all the people… why did it have to be Mark?  
“I’m such a dumbass.”  
“Why are you a dumbass?”  
Ethan jumped out of his seat, his English book that was in his lap hitting the floor ungracefully. Mark walked in, an amused smile on his face after watching Ethan spook.  
“Jesus, dude, how the fuck did you get in here so quietly?”  
“I dunno, I wasn’t trying to.” Mark shrugged, picking up Ethan’s book and handing it to him, “Anyway, why are you a dumbass?”  
“I feel like you could easily answer that question yourself.”  
“I absolutely could, but I wanted to give you a chance.”  
Ethan laughed, more with relief than anything since he didn’t actually have to answer Mark’s question.  
“Okay, let’s get you home so I can go sleep for five years. I’m fucking exhausted.”  
“Dude, I told you you need to go to sleep earlier.” Ethan chastised him with a fond smile.  
“I would’ve, but I was up late studying for a stupid anatomy test.” Mark retorted grumpily.  
Ethan gathered his things and they started walking to Mark’s car side-by-side. The sun was setting by then and a chill hung in the air and clung to Ethan’s skin. He felt a shiver go down his spine and he instinctively moved closer to Mark.

“You wanna hang out this weekend?” Ethan inquired, breaking the comfortable silence.  
“I would, but my step-dad grounded me.” He grumbled a little, before brushing their shoulders together. Ethan fought to keep his expression neutral. He’d never mentioned having a step-dad before.  
“I probably can next weekend though.”  
Ethan brightened up a little at that and smiled.  
“Well, I’m sure I can fit you into my _extremely_ busy schedule somewhere then.” He teased, earning a roll of the eyes from Mark.  
“You better.”

\----

The last thing Ethan expected that Saturday was a frantic knock on the door. 

It was a dark day, despite the forecast saying it should be sunny. The wind hurled the rain at the windows and the trees bent and swayed dangerously. Ethan usually enjoyed thunderstorms, but this was even a little much for him, especially with the lights in the house flickering as if they were about to go out. His parents and his brother Andrew had left before the worst of the storm hit, meeting with a family friend. Ethan had somehow managed to convince them to let him stay home. Andrew was friends with the other kids at the family’s house, but Ethan wasn’t so it was never any fun for him. 

He ignored the knocking at first, too paranoid after watching too much Criminal Minds to ever answer the door- let alone while he was home alone. Whoever was at the door, however, started ringing the doorbell and Ethan decided to at least see if he knew who it was. Discreetly looking out the window, he quickly did recognize the person. He flung the door open worriedly, making a drenched Mark jump back a little. He looked like a wild animal; eyes wide and scared, breathing heavily. The water made his clothes plastered to his skin and his hair stuck to his forehead. Ethan didn’t see his car.

_Did he run here?_

“Sorry, I- I just-”  
“You don’t have to explain right now, come inside and dry off.” Ethan ushered him in carefully, not wanting to scare him off after seeing the state he was in. Once he was inside he could see that Mark’s eyes were puffy as well, the tears had been masked by the rain, but he had clearly been crying.  
“Follow me, let’s get some dry clothes.”  
“...but I’ll get water all over the place.” He replied, timider than Ethan had ever heard him. His feet were rooted to the ground, standing right in front of the door.  
“It’s alright, we can clean it up later. You’ll get sick if you stay in those.”  
Ethan walked back up to him and gently took Mark’s freezing hand. He winced as he could now feel Mark shaking from the cold. 

They made their way up the stairs and into the bathroom, Ethan shushing the other boy every time he tried to apologize. Ethan gave him a towel and promised to come back with clothes. He grabbed an oversized hoodie that he figured would fit Mark and the largest pair of sweatpants he had. When he went back into the bathroom Mark was standing there with the towel wrapped around his shoulders, staring blankly at the floor.  
“Mark?” Ethan said softly, getting his attention, “here.”  
Ethan set the clothes on the sink and took the towel from around Mark’s shivering shoulders. Mark tried taking his shirt off but grimaced and stopped. His eyes were tightly shut now, tears forming in the outer corners.  
He was in pain.  
A horrible feeling settled in the pit of Ethan’s stomach.

“What happened?” He asked, but Mark shook his head and refused to open his eyes.  
“Mark, this is serious. What happened?” His voice shook and he had to take manual breaths.  
Mark still didn’t respond but tugged at the hem of his shirt. Ethan got the hint and helped Mark peel the still sopping wet shirt off.  
His breath caught in his throat.

Along Mark’s torso were scattered bruises, varying from purple, green, and yellow. A harsh red mark stood out against Mark’s skin on his side, hidden partially by his arm. Ethan maneuvered to his side, watching the small welt grow and stretch across the expanse of his back.  
It was a belt mark.  
It wasn’t the only one either.  
“Fuck.” Ethan breathed out finally, all other words gone from his vocabulary.  
“You can’t tell anyone.” Mark finally blurted out, spinning around to face Ethan again. His hands gripped Ethan’s biceps frantically, “please, Ethan… He makes my mom happy and I can’t ruin this for her.”  
“Your step-dad did this?” Anger was beginning to boil in his stomach.  
Mark’s shoulders drooped and he broke their eye-contact.  
“Does your mom know? Was she there today?”  
Mark shook his head.  
“She was at work.”  
“Mark, this isn’t okay. If your mom knew what was happening I think she’d care more about you than him. She wouldn’t want this to be happening.”  
“He makes her happy.” Mark repeated quietly, tears welling in his eyes, “I hadn’t seen her smile since my dad died until he came along.”  
Ethan’s heart shattered into a million pieces seeing the broken boy in front of him.  
“How long has this been happening?” He whispered, putting his hand on Mark’s cheek to try and get him to look back up at him.  
“A little over a year... It’s never been this bad before though. I thought he’d stop eventually…”  
Ethan sighed, letting his resolve break for the time being. He could convince Mark to tell his mom later, right now he just needed some dry clothes.  
“We’ll talk about this a little later, yeah? I want you to change first though.”  
Mark nodded and Ethan stepped out of the bathroom, waiting just outside in the hallway. He cringed every time he heard Mark grunt in pain. His mind was racing with a million thoughts and emotions, but fury overwhelmed most of them. Ethan wasn’t sure what he would do if Mark’s step-dad were there right now. He didn’t consider himself to be a violent person by any means, but Ethan wasn’t sure he’d be able to restrain himself.

Ethan barely had time to react when Mark walked out and wrapped him in a hug. Ethan made sure to put his arms around Mark’s shoulders, avoiding where he knew the belt marks were.  
“Thank you.” He said, voice muffled by Ethan’s sweater.  
“You don’t have to thank me, it’s what friends are for.”  
Mark didn’t let go for a little while. It was definitely longer than a normal hug would be, but Ethan didn’t mind one bit. The poor guy had been going through that shit for the past year. It suddenly clicked in Ethan’s brain. It’s why Mark had been lashing out at school in the past- specifically at Ethan, and why he had mentioned Ethan having two caring parents when explaining how he was jealous. It was also probably why he had helped when he saw his “friends” beating Ethan up.

A sniffling next to Ethan’s ear told him Mark was crying. His throat constricted as he fought back his own tears. Seeing Mark so wrecked hurt him.  
“It’s going to be okay,” Ethan murmured, carding his fingers through the hair on the back of Mark’s head soothingly. After a few more moments, Mark pulled away and took a deep breath, wiping the tears from his face. He looked worn out, the last of his nerves being frayed. He was most likely coming down from the adrenaline high of what had happened, plus running all the way to Ethan’s house. Ethan gave a, hopefully, reassuring smile and led him out of the hallway and into his room.  
“You can get some sleep if you want, you seem like you might need it.” He said and Mark, thankfully, gave in without much resistance. He slipped under the covers and Ethan sat at his desk. He didn’t know what Mark really wanted him to do, but if he were Mark he wouldn’t want to be left in a room while he was in a fragile mindset.  
It seemed to be the right thing to do because Mark fell asleep only a minute or two after his head hit the pillow. 

At around dinner time, Ethan’s family came back. He hurriedly met them by the front door, hushing them all as to not wake Mark. He didn’t explain why Mark had suddenly shown up, but luckily they didn’t pry and promised to stay quiet. Even after eating dinner, Mark was still asleep. He got into his bed after changing and brushing his teeth, staying close to the edge. He had considered waking Mark up to see if he wanted to go back home, but he almost immediately decided against it. He wasn’t sure if his mom would be home by then, and even if she was he figured going back so soon would stress the other boy out too much. 

So, instead, he got comfortable and shut his eyes, feeling Mark shift a little and sigh in his sleep.

\----

Luckily, Ethan was able to persuade Mark to tell his mom what was happening after he woke up and his mind cleared a little.  
“I’m sorry I dragged you into this. I just kinda ran and didn’t realize where I was going until I was knocking on your door.” Mark said as they ate breakfast. It was a quiet morning, his family still asleep since they went to bed a lot later. It had just been the sound of spoons clinking against the cereal bowls after they had spoken about Mark talking to his mom.  
“You apologize too much to me, Mark, really, I don’t mind that you showed up. In fact, I’m glad you did… No one should have to go through that.”

Mark didn’t appear to want to leave after breakfast, so Ethan didn’t force him. Instead, they played Mario Kart, though Ethan was sure they woke up the rest of his family. The other boy’s spirits seemed to lift after the distraction and he had left by noon. 

Ethan really wished he’d follow through and tell his mom.

“Ethan, sweetie?” Ethan spun around in his chair, overhearing his own mom from the other side of the door.  
“You can come in.” He called back, and she stepped in, shutting the door behind her. He braced himself upon seeing her face. He could tell he was about to have one of those serious “mom talks.”  
“You didn’t really say much last night, but I was wondering if your friend is okay. He came here in that awful storm, so I know something is going on.” She said, sitting on his bed to face him.  
Ethan shifted in his chair awkwardly. It was going to be difficult to explain without actually giving anything away, but Mark had practically begged him last night not to tell anyone. Ethan sighed.  
“He doesn’t really want me to talk to anyone about it,” He admitted, figuring that would help keep his mom from prying, “but I think he’ll be okay soon.”  
She raised her eyebrows a little, clearly still worried.  
“Alright, but you need to make sure you aren’t taking all this on yourself.”  
“I won’t, and if things don’t get better, I promise I’ll tell you so we can help him. I know this isn’t really something that I can fix for him by myself.”  
His mom gave a small smile and stood, pressing a short kiss to the top of his head.  
“I’d also like to properly meet him next time, I haven’t heard about him very much. Is he a new friend?”  
“Umm… yeah. He’s the guy who drives me home from school.” Ethan nodded, figuring telling her that he used to bully him would be a bad idea.  
She left the room, telling him dinner would be ready soon on her way out.

Ethan turned back in his chair, facing his open laptop again.

_Okay… Now to write this English paper._

\----

“So… Prom is coming up…” Mika wiggled her eyebrows at him, “thinking of asking anyone?”  
Ethan groaned. She had asked him the same question multiple times just that week.  
“Mika, I don’t have anyone to ask.”  
A complete lie, because his stupid mind kept nagging him that he should ask Mark. Ethan shoved that idea to the side every time though. They had practically just become friends, he didn’t want to ruin that by asking him to prom, just to be rejected. He’d rather just be a friend, than nothing at all. He wasn’t even sure how Mark felt about prom anyway. He’d just gotten rid of an abusive step-father. He was sure prom was the last thing on his list of priorities. Ethan hoped that going to therapy was at the top of that list.

“Yes you do, you’re literally thinking of him right now.” She smirked, tapping his forehead.  
“Am not.” He pouted.  
“Explain the blush on your face right now then.” She retorted.  
“I hate you.” He deadpanned.  
“You could never.” She returned easily, grinning.  
Ethan sighed, knowing she was right. She was one of the first friends he had made during high school and although she liked to poke fun at him, she had been there for him through a lot.  
“Ok, so what if I had an idea of someone to ask. It’s not going to happen anyway, so quit asking me.”  
“You’re so negative.” Mika lamented before looking over his shoulder and smiling, “speak of the devil.”  
Ethan turned just as Mark walked up. 

_Why the fuck does he have to look so good all the time?_

Before, Ethan had never taken time to notice how unfairly attractive Mark was, but now that he did it was almost all he could think about.

Mark gave Ethan a small smile and a nod to Mika.  
“Sup.” She greeted in typical Mika fashion, “You going to prom?”  
“No. Don’t have anyone to go with and I hate crowds.” He replied with a shrug.  
“Fair enough.”  
“Why did you heckle me for not wanting to go, but not him?” Ethan asked incredulously, making Mark laugh beside him.  
“He gave an actual reason. He hates crowds. You said you didn’t have anyone to ask. Which, as I said before, is total bullshit.” She turned to Mark again, who was eyeing them curiously, “If someone asked you, would you go even with y’know- crowds of people?”  
Mark faltered, seemingly actually considering the idea.  
“There’s only one person who could make me go, but I found out recently he isn’t going either.” He was talking slowly as if trying to pick the right words.  
Ethan tensed a little, hating the jealousy that he was feeling. Who was that one person? 

_Wait, did he just say ‘he’?_

Mika just hummed instead, smirking at Ethan. The bell above them rang and Mark waved goodbye before splitting off and going to class. Ethan’s feet were still rooted to the spot.  
“Will you stop saying he’s completely straight now?” She elbowed him, spurring him into motion.  
“That doesn’t help me at all though. He wanted someone else to ask him.” He argued back, making Mika groan in frustration.  
“Ethan, dude, he meant you. He wants you to ask him you dimwit.”  
“Did you just call me a dimwit?”  
“Absolutely I did, and I’ll do it again if you don’t ask him to prom soon.”  
“If he wanted to go with me, why can’t he just ask me himself?”  
“Because he’s probably just as scared to ask you than you are to ask him. He’s not exactly out of the closet yet, and if we heard him correctly I think we’re the first two he’s kinda come out to.” She tried reasoning, but Ethan wasn’t having it. His brain couldn’t wrap around the thought that Mark could like him back in _that_ way.  
“What if he meant in a friendly way. Like he’d only go if one of his friends made him go.” Ethan was backpedaling now.  
“I highly doubt that. I think he would’ve specified if that was the case.”  
He didn’t reply to that, letting the gears in his brain turn.  
“You don’t have to do a grand gesture or anything… Just ask him.” Mika said, ending the conversation for the time being as they stepped into class.

\----

Ethan did not ask Mark that week, nor the next, nor the week after that. In fact, he avoided any talk of prom whatsoever. Bob and Wade were both going, having found dates, and Mika was going with a few friends. They kept asking him about it, but he always found a way to change the subject. Prom was only a month away, and Ethan still didn’t have the courage to even try and talk about it with Mark, let alone ask him to go. 

Ethan held on to the sleeve of Mark’s hoodie as they pushed past the crowd of students and out into the fresh air. It was gradually warming up, turning from winter to spring. Spring was one of Ethan’s favorite seasons. He loved the blooming flowers and seeing everything become vibrant again. Andrew had always complained about it because of allergies, but Ethan luckily didn’t have any and could enjoy the beauty of it. 

“Wanna go to the park?” Mark asked once they got to his car. Ethan nodded with a smile, letting go of his sleeve.

Once they got there they followed the familiar path past the playground and into the woods. After going there so often, they had worn down a tiny trail with their feet.  
“I never got to properly thank you,” Mark said as soon as they sat under a tree.  
“Thank me?” Ethan asked, turning his body so he could look at Mark, his side now pressed against the tree.  
“You convinced me to tell my mom about my step-dad. I don’t know how long I would’ve put up with that, but because of you, I don’t have to find out. So, thank you.” A grateful smile adorned his face and he held out his hand.  
“I’m just happy that you’re safe now.” Ethan smiled back, reaching out and holding the outstretched hand.  
They sat quietly for a moment, fingers intertwined until Ethan spotted something. He laughed a little when he saw it was one of his beanies laying underneath a tree a few feet away.  
“So that’s where that went.”  
Mark smiled and stood, letting go of his hand. He walked over to pick it up, dusting off some remaining dead leaves and plopping it, ungracefully, on Ethan’s head.  
“Hey!” He exclaimed, tugging the hat out of his eyes, giving the- now laughing- boy a faux glare. He couldn’t pretend to be mad for long though, Mark’s laugh had always been infectious. He was sure he looked crazy now- hair sticking out from under the beanie in all different directions. Mark took a breath, trying to stifle his laughter.  
“God, you’re cute.”  
Ethan froze and looked over at Mark who seemed to have just realized what he said.  
“I mean- you just… umm-” Mark stumbled, refusing to look anywhere but the ground, “Fuck, I’m sorry. I made it awkward didn’t I?”  
Ethan swallowed, throat suddenly dry. His heart was pounding erratically, blood rushing to his ears.  
“N-no, you- didn’t make it awkward.” He shook his head, blinking a few times to try and kick his brain back into gear, “...did you mean it?”  
Mark clenched his jaw and timidly returned Ethan’s eye contact. He looked ready to bolt. That seemed like a common thing recently.  
“Yeah?”  
Fortunately, Ethan found he still could smile even though speaking was difficult.  
“You’re smiling.” Mark stated, pointing out the obvious with wide eyes, “So, I didn’t fuck up?”  
Ethan shook his head ‘no’, grin not leaving his face. Mark stepped closer and knelt in front of him so they were finally eye-level with each other. Ethan sucked in a shuddering breath as Mark’s hand cupped the side of his face.  
“Can I kiss you?”  
Ethan barely heard him, already nodding and leaning forward. 

Their lips connected in a fleeting kiss. It was sweet and tender and made Ethan’s mind go blank, solely focused on how it felt to have Mark so close. He could practically taste the other boy’s nerves. Mark pulled away after a short moment, searching Ethan’s eyes. He seemed worried, as if Ethan was going to change his mind.  
As endearing as it was, the short lived kiss wasn’t enough. Ethan gave a small reassuring smile before tugging on his sleeve, still having trouble using his words.  
Mark got the gist and leaned in eagerly pressing their lips together again. Ethan hummed happily, running a hand down Mark’s bicep. Both his hands now cupped Ethan’s jaw, holding him sweetly. He felt like a piece of fine china and as much as he loved that feeling, he wanted more. Mark seemed to read his mind because he tilted his head finally to deepen the previously close-mouthed kiss. He grasped at the front of Mark’s hoodie, pulling him closer. He could feel Mark fight a smile away. There were no coherent thoughts in his brain, just a string of disbelieving curses. It was as if Mark was pouring his heart and soul into it, making Ethan feel like he was burning up. It was an intoxicating feeling.

_Holy shit why is he so good at this?_

Ethan pulled away with a gasp, almost hitting his head on the tree behind him. He would’ve if it wasn’t for Mark’s hand on the back of his head.  
“Oh shit, are you good?” Mark chuckled.  
“Yeah.” He replied breathlessly, a large grin on his face, “You’re gorgeous.”  
Which was slightly off topic of him almost hitting head, but he couldn’t think of anything else. Mark’s face flushed a deeper red than it already was and muttered out a bashful response.  
“You’re one to talk.”  
“Kiss me again, please.”  
“Well, I’m not going to say no to that,” Mark said before obeying Ethan’s request.  
Being snogged against a tree certainly wasn’t in his planned after-school activities list, but he’d be caught dead before he complained about it. 

When they both finally had enough self-control to pull away from each other for more than a few seconds to breathe, Ethan laughed seeing Mark’s hair. It was all ruffled up from Ethan’s hands.  
“Sorry.” He giggled, trying to fix it. Mark huffed and sat still, an adoring look on his face.  
“We should probably get home.” He pointed out, checking the time on his phone, as Ethan gave a final pat to his head. Ethan cocked his head to the side, raising an eyebrow.  
“Do you want to- y’know... talk about what just happened before we go?”  
“Oh, yeah. That would probably be a good idea.” Mark smiled sheepishly, “I really like you… Like a lot.”  
“Great, cause I like you too.” Ethan giggled, taking Mark's hand in his own as he saw his shoulders tense a little.  
“I just want to take things slow… If that’s okay? I know we literally just made out, but I haven’t really- well, I mean I have, but not with…” Mark hesitated.  
“...A guy?” Ethan finished for him, earning a nod, “Of course we can take it slow. I don’t want to rush you into anything you’re not ready for.”  
Mark let a relieved smile spread across his face, tension leaving his body.  
“Thanks. I do want to take you out, like on a date sometime.”  
“Whenever you’re ready, I’d like that.” Ethan gave a soft smile and squeezed his hand.  
“Okay… Talk over? I really think we should leave before it actually starts getting dark.”  
“Yep.” Ethan agreed and let Mark help him up off the ground, walking back to his car hand-in-hand.

\----

Ethan strolled into school on Monday, full of nervous energy. Seeing Mark for the first time after Friday was going to be a little nerve-wracking. Despite that, he still had a giddy smile stuck to his face.

As he approached his locker, he saw Mika had actually gotten to school before him for once. He said hello once he got close enough.  
“Something happened.” Mika folded her arms over her chest, a smug smile on her face, “you’re way too smiley for a school morning.”  
Ethan debated trying to deny it, but he knew he was a shit liar. Also, he had actually been dying to tell Mika as soon as it had happened.  
“Me and Mark _may_ have kissed.” He said, trying to hide his giddy smile.  
“‘May have’ means you did, holy shit.” Mika wrapped him in a tight hug, “I’m so happy for you.”  
She pulled away, hands still on his shoulders.  
“Was this after you asked him to go to prom?” She questioned.  
“...Oh, fuck... I completely forgot about that.”

Truthfully, he had. After avoiding the topic for so long, the thought to ask hadn’t even crossed his mind. Mark did say he wanted to take it slow though, and he still hadn’t come out. He might not feel comfortable going with Ethan as his date quite yet.

“Ethan, you’re helpless.” Mika groaned, “At least now you can’t say he won’t want to go with you.”  
“Actually, I can. He still isn’t out and I promised we’d take things slow. We aren’t even technically dating yet.”  
“Fair enough,” She relented, “Maybe you two could go as ‘just friends’.”  
Ethan brightened up at the idea a little.  
“Maybe... I’ll ask him.”  
Ethan had just shoved the unnecessary books into his locker when the bell went off.  
“Where is your boyfriend anyway?” She asked as he shut the metal door.

He decided not to correct her on the boyfriend thing, knowing she was at least semi-joking. Ethan glanced around, wondering where the boy in question was, before remembering the text he had gotten last night.

Mark: I’ll be late to school tmrw bc I gtg to the dentist :(  
Mark: I’ll see u at tutoring tho

Ethan disliked the dentist even more now.

“He’s got a dentist appointment.”  
He started dragging his feet after Mika who had already begun walking.  
“Awe, too bad. I wanted to give him the ‘if you hurt my friend I’ll hurt you’ talk.” She teased.  
“Go easy on him, please.” He shook his head with a little smile, “and we’re not even technically dating yet so there’s no need.”  
“Might as well be.” She bumped their shoulders together, “Seriously though, if he puts even one foot out of line-”  
“-Which he won’t-”  
“-I’ll beat his ass.” She finished, giving him a stern look, “He’s proven to be a good friend, but being friends and dating are two different things.”  
“I appreciate the concern, and _if_ something happens with him I’ll tell you. I really think you should trust him more though, he’s a really good guy on the inside. I’m not going to pretend he didn’t do some fucked up shit in the past, but if you got to know him more you’d understand it wasn’t just for the hell of it.”  
Mika raised her eyebrows, clearly wanting him to explain what he meant, but he wasn’t going to give her any more than that. Mark didn’t want people to know about his step-dad, so Ethan sure as hell wasn’t going to be the one to tell others.  
When Ethan stayed quiet, she sighed.  
“Alright,” she relented, “I’ll cut him some slack... But he’s still getting the talk.”  
Ethan laughed.  
“I’m good with that.”

\----

“Hey.” Mark greeted with the same charming smile when Ethan walked into the math room. The butterflies in his stomach became more noticeable.  
“Hi,” Ethan slid into his chair, scooting it over, so their desks were closer, “how was the dentist?”  
Mark groaned, his face becoming more somber as he let his head fall into his hands.  
“I have to get my wisdom teeth out soon.”  
“Oh my god, I’m totally gonna record you afterward.” Ethan laughed, already imagining a loopy Mark.  
“Fuck that, I’m not telling you when.” Mark raised his head, “No more blackmailing material for you.”  
“But all the terrible snap chats from you aren’t enough.” The boy smirked, and Mark gasped in mock offense.  
“Are you saying that you don’t appreciate my incredibly attractive snap chats?”  
“I’m saying that turning the camera, so it’s up your nose isn’t your best angle.”  
“I’m offended now. Those were my headshots for my modeling agency. How dare you slander them.” He deadpanned, and Ethan couldn’t help but snort at him.  
“Y’know, you could probably actually do that,” Ethan mentioned as he set his things on the desk.  
“Do what?” The other boy questioned.  
“Model.”  
Ethan grinned when Mark just rolled his eyes.  
“Stop trying to flatter me to get out of tutoring. We need to do math.” Mark changed the subject quickly, and Ethan’s shoulders drooped.  
“I don’t wanna.” He complained, “Can we just talk instead?”  
“As much as I’d love that, we’ve missed quite a few tutoring sessions recently.”  
Mark was right, of course. They’d both been busy with different after-school things, whether it was band, wrestling, theater, or gymnastics. So, Ethan gave in, and they started working. 

The hour and a half went by fast, and soon they were walking to Mark's car. It was something Ethan noticed always happened when he was with Mark. Time seemed to fly by when they were together, even while doing something as dreadful as math. While they were walking, Ethan’s conversation with Mika that morning popped into his head. He debated with himself for a moment on whether to ask Mark or not. Even the thought of it had his heart pounding anxiously.

“Hey, I’ve got a question for you.” He started finally, glancing over at the other boy. He hummed in response, urging Ethan to keep going. He felt his heart rate spike again, his anxiety making itself known. He pushed through, however, and began to talk quickly before he could back down. 

“I know you said you didn’t really want to go to prom because of crowds and stuff, but I was wondering if you’d want to go with me? Or, if you’re uncomfortable with going with me as your date, we could just go as friends. I know this stuff is new to you, so it’s fine if you don’t want people knowing… You can totally say no, and I won’t be upset or anything- seriously. I just figured I’d ask since I remember you saying you would only go if a specific person asked you, and I assumed you meant me- though I guess I shouldn’t assume things because you could’ve meant someone else, which would be fine an-”  
“Ethan.”  
Hearing his name made him halt his ramblings abruptly. His hands were shaking, and they had stopped in the middle of the parking lot. Mark looked worried. Ethan forced himself to take a breath.  
“S-sorry.”  
He hadn’t realized how bad his nerves had gotten. He hadn’t felt this apprehensive around Mark in a long time.  
“It’s alright.” Mark took one of Ethan’s shaking hands in his own steady one. His voice was soft and it helped settle Ethan’s racing mind a little. “Why are you so nervous about asking me?”  
“I- I’m not really sure… I know we talked about some things on Friday, but I guess I’m a little worried that you- I don’t know… changed your mind or something…” Ethan mumbled the last bit and looked down, feeling embarrassed now.  
He heard the boy let out a heavy exhale before he was wrapped in a hug.  
“I haven’t changed my mind.” He assured Ethan, making the worry melt from his shoulders.  
“God… I feel stupid now.” He muttered, his voice muffled by the fabric of Mark’s hoodie.  
“You’re not stupid.” Was his calm response, “And… I’d like to go to prom with you. Maybe we should go as ‘friends’ though. I- I promise it won’t be like this for much longer… I just need to figure my shit out first.”  
“That’s perfectly fine with me.”  
Mark pulled away, much to Ethan’s dismay. Mark huffed out a laugh, seeing Ethan pout at him, and glanced around quickly. Once he saw no one was in the empty parking lot, he cupped Ethan’s face and pressed their lips together in a quick kiss. His heart swelled with affection and Ethan couldn’t fight back a fond smile.  
“Would it make you feel better about this if we had like a title?”  
“A title?” Ethan questioned.  
“Yeah… We could be boyfriends. I know I asked to take it slow, but I’m okay with calling you my boyfriend if it makes you feel like this is more of a solid, real thing.”  
Ethan’s smile grew.  
“I’d love that.”  
“Okay, ready to head home now?” Mark asked, letting his arms drop back down to his sides.  
Ethan nodded and they started walking to Mark’s car again.

\----

Ethan was startled a few days later when Bob and Wade practically jumped on him before their math class started.  
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Bob interrogated first, sliding his chair over.  
“Yeah, we had to hear it from Mika, who didn’t even mean to tell us,” Wade added.  
Ethan gave them both a confused look, racking his brain for things he hadn’t told them.  
“Wha-?”  
“You and Mark.” Wade cut him off and Ethan’s eyes widened, looking around the class.  
“Keep your voice down..!” He hissed, though luckily no one seemed to be paying them any mind, “and I was going to tell you two, but I just wasn’t sure when.”  
“That’s bullshit, you might as well be.” Bob deadpanned.  
“Yeah, even if he’s not out, you two could still be dating and not announce it to everyone.” Wade offered. Ethan winced as he saw a girl in class look over at them. It wasn’t a sure sign she had heard anything, but he was still uneasy. He didn’t know her very well at all either. Her hair was dyed blonde and she often wore a yellow sweater, but that was about the extent of his knowledge of her.  
“Can we please not talk about this right now?” He whispered, giving them a pleading look. Ethan was grateful that they relented, starting to talk about all the homework they were behind in.

Ethan, however, couldn’t help but glance back at the girl. When he did, she turned away quickly, but it had been clear she was looking at him. Anxiety churned uncomfortably in his stomach. Had she overheard them?

\----

“Have you got a tux yet?” Mark asked, shifting so Ethan could wedge himself in between his legs, with his back against Mark’s chest. They were in the woods again, hanging out after school. Mark was leaned back against a tree so Ethan could sit comfortably.  
Mark wrapped his arms around Ethan’s middle, making Ethan relax further into him. His arms were heavy, making Ethan feel like he had a weighted blanket wrapped around him.  
“Not yet. I’m gonna go pick one out on Saturday, I think. You would not believe how excited my mom was when she found out I was going.”  
Mark hummed behind him, his breath tickling Ethan’s ear. He squirmed a little, giggling.  
“You gotta send me any prom pictures she takes of you.”  
“Absolutely not.” Ethan immediately denied.  
“What? Why? I’m sure you look incredible in a suit.” Mark wined a little.  
“You’re gonna actually _see_ me, so why do you need pictures?” Ethan retorted playfully. He felt Mark shrug.  
“I dunno, memories, I guess. I like having pictures of people I care about.”  
Ethan’s heart ached with fondness, and he took one of Mark’s hands from around him to hold it. A kiss to his shoulder had Ethan humming happily.

Prom was in just a week, and although they were going as ‘friends,’ Ethan was still excited. Mika made sure they promised to hang out with her and her friend group for at least a little while, so they could meet some of her friends too. Mark seemed more hesitant, just because he was the introvert of the two, but he was being a good sport and simply smiled, agreeing.

“What’s your suit look like?” Ethan asked, playing with Mark’s fingers absentmindedly.  
“Nothing special. White button-up, black pants and jacket, and a maroon bow tie.” He laughed a little to himself, “my mom basically picked it out. I _sure_ it’ll come as a surprise to you, but I’m not very fashion minded.”  
Etha gasped, turning his head so he could see Mark out of the corner of his eye.  
“No way.” He feigned surprise, knowing full well Mark showed up to school every day in sweatpants and a hoodie.  
“I know, I know. I thought I should tell you at some point. I couldn’t keep the secret any longer. It was weighing so heavily on my soul.” Mark had shut his eyes and turned away, ever the drama queen.  
Ethan snorted and turned his head back so he was looking straight ahead again, dropping their little bit to enjoy the quiet for a moment. He was glad he could do that with Mark. He often felt like he had to fill the silence when he was around other people, but with Mark, he didn’t feel that pressure. They were both content to sit quietly in each other’s presence, happy to just be close. That’s how it was oftentimes they were here, surrounded by tall trees, shielding them from the rest of the world. Ethan would scoot close to Mark, and he would wrap his arms around to hold him without hesitation or questioning. It was one of the best feelings Ethan had ever experienced. 

“You thought about what you’re gonna do after graduating?” Mark inquired softly after a while.  
“I don’t know. I got into the film school in LA I told you about a while ago, but I’m waiting to see if I got a scholarship before I decide.”  
He felt Mark’s arms tighten around him.  
“LA is far away,” Mark said, though it sounded like he was talking more to himself. Ethan’s heart ached, and he took a deep breath to try and loosen the weight that had settled in his chest. He had thought about having to move away from his family, friends, and Mark fleetingly but had never let himself linger on it. He squeezed Mark’s hand.  
“Yeah...” He breathed out, “it is.”

They were quiet again, a melancholy feeling settling over both of them. 

“I don’t want to have to leave you,” Ethan said.  
“If you do get a scholarship. I want you to go.” Mark murmured in response, “I don’t want you to miss out on such an incredible opportunity because of me.”  
Ethan sighed. He was right. The University of Southern California was one of the best film schools in the country. He would be stupid to pass that up.  
“Can we talk about something else? I haven’t gotten one yet, so I don’t want to get upset over hypotheticals.”  
“Alright.” Mark agreed, shifting slightly behind him, “get up, let's go swing on the swings.”  
Ethan let a half-smile on his face and stood, immediately tugging Mark along with him to the playground.

\----

“Bye!” Ethan hopped out of his mom’s car.  
“Bye, honey. Have fun!”  
Ethan shut the car door and turned around. The sun was already dropping in the sky, and Ethan tugged at his tie a little.  
Prom had finally arrived. Other kids milled around the school, heading inside. Lively chatter and laughing filled the air. He traveled inside, going to the gym where everyone else was. It was darker in there, decorated, so it didn’t even look like a gym anymore. Ethan smiled to himself when he saw Mika waving at him from a group of people.  
“Hey.” He greeted when he got close enough. It was reasonably loud with the music and chatter.  
“Yo! Where’s Mark?” She asked.  
“He’s coming. We agreed to meet up here.”  
She shoved a drink in his hand with a mischievous smile.  
“Try some, it’ll help you loosen up.”  
Ethan rolled his eyes with a smile.  
“I’m not drinking, Mika. Mark can’t cause it’s not good for him, so I’m not going to.” He handed her the drink back.  
“It’s not _good_ for anyone else either.” She said with a snort, but she took the drink back anyway, “Isn’t that him over there?”  
Ethan looked over toward the entrance where Mika was looking. Sure enough, Mark was there, looking uncomfortable already.  
“Better go save him.” Mika joked and shooed him away.  
Ethan maneuvered through the crowd. It was getting more packed by the second, and he thought the gym walls might pop if anyone else showed up.  
“Mark!” He called out cheerfully once he was in hearing range.  
Mark’s eyes snapped to Ethan, and he visibly relaxed, eyes softening from their former hardened, anxious state.  
“Hey, Ethan.”  
“You alright?” Ethan asked, already concerned.  
“Yeah- yeah, I’m alright. You know crowds just aren’t my thing.” Mark said, tugging Ethan toward him as someone shoved past Ethan rudely. Ethan stepped back, so they were a respectful distance apart, with a quick “thanks”.  
Ethan shifted his weight on his feet, a blush crawling onto his face as he watched Mark rake his eyes over him.  
“You look good,” Mark said with a smile that turned smug seeing Ethan’s flustered face.  
“You’re not so bad yourself.”  
“Are we hanging out with Mika first?” Mark asked, peering around.  
“Yep!” Ethan led him over to where Mika was still standing with her friends.  
“There they are!” Mika announced, “Guys, this is Mark and Ethan. Mark and Ethan- this is Amy and Katherine.”  
Ethan grimaced as they looked at Mark, recognition shining clearly in their eyes. Both their friendly expressions soured. 

_They must know how Mark used to be._

Mark took a step back, so he was slightly behind Ethan, his smile faltering.  
“Oh, shit,” Mika muttered, “He’s chill now, guys, I swear.”  
Ethan watched their faces closely, anxiously flicking his gaze from them to Mark. They still didn’t seem convinced, and Mark looked like he wanted the ground to open and swallow him whole, so Ethan tugged on his sleeve gently.  
“Let’s go see what they have to eat.” He suggested, giving the girls a curt nod. Mika gave Mark a sympathetic look before Ethan drew him away from the uncomfortable atmosphere.  
“Fuck, I’m sorry about that,” Ethan apologized once they were far enough away.  
“It’s not your fault. It’s mine for being an asshole.” Mark replied, sounding disheartened, “It’s not like I can expect everyone to like me when I was a terrible person just a few months ago.”  
Ethan said nothing, knowing that whatever he said wouldn’t make the other boy feel any better. He opted to guide him to the table of appetizer-type foods instead. Mark picked some things, eating them fairly quickly. He eventually turned to Ethan, looking like he felt at least a little better.  
“Alright, I’m done being a mood-killer. Let’s go dance.”  
Ethan smiled, and they headed out onto the dance floor. 

Most of the night was a blur. Even though Ethan hadn’t had anything to drink, the flashing lights, bass reverberating through the room, and high energy atmosphere had him feeling tipsy. Mark seemed to loosen up too after some persuading from Ethan.

At some point, some slower songs started playing, so they both took a break. They sat off to the side in some metal folding chairs that had been set up around a few tables. Mark knocked their knees together, getting Ethan’s attention.  
“This is the most fun I’ve had at something like this.” He commented, an affectionate smile directed at Ethan.  
“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”  
“It only causes you’re here, though.” He shrugged, and Ethan raised an eyebrow, “I just like that I’m here with you.”  
“Why the fuck do you have to say soft shit like that here- where I can’t kiss you?”  
Mark tilted his head back and laughed. 

The moment didn’t last long, though, as Ethan recognized a group of people approaching them. It was Thomas, Weston, Leo, and the blonde girl from Ethan’s math class. 

_This isn’t gonna be good._

Ethan glanced over to Mark, who was already fixing them with a death glare.  
“So, I hear you’re both faggots now.” Thomas scoffed. Ethan saw Mark’s eyebrows twitch slightly in surprise, but to his credit, he didn’t react other than that. Ethan looked to the girl in the back, who was staring daggers right back at him. She must’ve heard him, Bob, and Wade speaking before math class had begun.  
“Mark isn’t-” Ethan started to defend, but was cut off.  
“Oh, please. I’m not surprised you two cowards are together now.”  
“We aren’t.” Ethan continued, knowing Mark didn’t want anyone to know yet. He hated lying normally, but this was a different situation, “Mark’s straight. I’m the one who’s not, so leave him out of this.”  
Thomas leaned down, getting too close for comfort.  
“You disgust me.” He spat before Mark was up and shoving him away.  
“You know what, we are together, but why the hell do you care? If you get near him again, I’ll pound your face in.” Mark took Ethan’s hand and pulled him out of his chair. Ethan blindly followed, too surprised to object. When he finally got out of his head, he found they were on the dance floor.  
“Wha-What just happened?” Ethan breathed out as Mark positioned his hands in the right place to slow dance, “I thought you didn’t want anyone to know?”  
“I don’t care anymore. I can’t just let him talk to you like that. Besides, hiding this is stupid anyway. I’m tired of being scared about what other people think of me. Caring about you is nothing for me to be ashamed of.”  
Ethan felt like the air had been sucked out of his lungs. He would've melted onto the floor if Mark’s hand wasn’t on his waist.  
“Does this mean I can kiss you now?” Ethan said stupidly, making Mark laugh. He looked over to the right, and Ethan followed his gaze. The Douchebags were still glaring at them.  
“Let’s give those homophobic pieces of shit something to look at,” Mark said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He let go of Ethan’s hand to hold Ethan’s chin and tilt it up. Ethan smiled into the kiss. Despite knowing they were being watched, he felt like everything else disappeared around them. All that mattered was Mark, who was holding and kissing him so sweetly. They pulled away after a short moment, knowing that there _was_ such a thing as too much PDA even though they were trying to make Thomas and his group uncomfortable. When they looked back to where they had previously been, they were gone.  
“So all we gotta do is kiss to make them go away?” Ethan chuckled.  
“I’m good with that.” Mark shrugged, smirking. 

He began to lead Ethan through the slow dance again, holding him close. Ethan happily melted into him. He wasn’t really sure how to slow dance very well, but Mark was doing a good job of teaching him.  
“Wanna go to a shitty fast food restaurant after this?” Ethan asked. Mark turned his head and pressed a kiss to Ethan’s forehead.  
“I’ll go wherever you’re going.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> I might actually add another part/ chapter to this later just because I think there's still a lot of potential things I can write about with these two. I really wanted to get this much out though because I've been working on it for a while.  
> As always- if you have an AU idea feel free to comment it!


End file.
